Apparatus for operating mercury-vapor lamps.



P. H. VON KELLER.

APPARATUS FOR OPERATING MERCURY VAPOB LAMPS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 6, 190B. nmmwnn JAN. 27, 1913.

1,070,345. 7 1 Patented Aug. 12,1913.

WITNE88E8: I INVENTOR oaigw,

A TTORIVEY .rnnnnnrcx HT. vim KELLER, on NEW \YORK, N. Y., assrcNon, BY MESNE assreN- -MENTS, 'JJQ COOPER HEWITT ELECTRIC COMPAlfTY,OF HURON, NEW JERSEY, AI

APPARATUS ronbrnnnrme MnnctrnY-vnron rs.

Specification of Letters Patent Patented Aug. 12,1913.

Applicetioli filed August 8, 1908, Serial No. 447,213. Renewed January 2?, 1913. .Serial No. 7%,598.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, FREDERICK H. VON KELLER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of New York, county of New York,

State of. New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Qperating Mercury-Vapor Lamps,

of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relates to starting switches,

more especiallyv to switches adapted to produce momentarily high voltage impulses.

Switches of this character are useful, for

example, in connection withvapor devices such as mercuryvapor lamps described in certain patents issued to Peter Cooper Hewitt on September 17th, 1901.' By reason ofthe tendency of such lampsto goout when cold or by reason of the "necessities which arise in connection with the operation of suchlamps when operating on low current new any cause whatsoever, a switch adapted'to furnish an impulse of highpo tential is a very desirable auxiliary. The name shifter has been givento this particular type of switch and my improved shifter is illustrated in thedrawings hereto annexed, in whichp 1 "Figuresl and 2 show respectively a side elevation and an end elevation of my improveddevice. f i 1 J This shifter 'includestwo. bulbular portions, 1, having trunnio'ns, 2 ,*upon which the shifter is so mounted as to be readily rotated, and also two electrodes, 3, which are often preferablyof mercury and ,atubular portion, 4, connecting the two bulbs 1 and partially filled with mercury: This shifter is hermetically sealed and highly exhausted. When placed in the position shown in Fig. 2, the electrodes, which may be taken,

as of mercury for the'purpcse of illustration, are directly connected through the portion 4 which also will then be filled with mercury. If, however, the shifter be rotated upon the trunnions 2, a break in the continuity of the mercury circuit will be introduced at two points in the neighborhood of the electrodes 3, between these electrodes and the mercury in the'portion 4. If such breaks occur 'when' the device is carry-f ing an unst-able'currenhfcr example, on ac- If the current here assumed as passing through the shifter, pass also through an inductance in its path,.any of these energetic actions on the part of the negative electrode will cause a corresponding rise of potential from the inductance which may be utilized in starting, as will hereinafter be described.

Attention is called to the fact that the double shifter here shown is income cases more cflective than the single shifter and; proves itself a very useful device. Current is led into and out of the shifter through the sealing wires or leads, 5, which may be of platinum.

I claim as my invention: 7 v

1. A mercury vapor apparatus comprising two similar bulbous portions, having trunnions extending therefrom and having mercury electrodes and, suitable lead wires therein, and a tubular passage connecting the'said. portions and containing mercury, the said connecting. portion being a mercury trap whereby the said portions are permanently separated, I

2. A circuit opening device,"comprising an exhausted container and suitable electrodes therefor, said container being movably mounte'd'and including the two bulbous portions connected-by a U shaped tube.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York, and State of New York, this tth day of Augusttt. D. 1908;

FREDERICK H. vo -LLER, Witnesses:

WM, H; Carma,

Pnncr Tnonrss. 

